Reuters: Health:- DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's Taliban on Friday took responsibility for triple bombings at a Shi'ite Muslim procession this week, challenging the civilian government further as it struggles with a flood crisis.

Reuters: Health:- LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc said on Friday the cost of dealing with its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico had risen to $8 billion and that it was two weeks away from sealing the well for good.

Reuters: Health:- TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan is expected to hold off on easing monetary policy next week but is gearing up for further action in October as the strong yen threatens to derail its forecast of a moderate economic recovery, sources said.

Reuters: Health:- MANTEO, North Carolina (Reuters) - Hurricane Earl raked North Carolina's barrier islands with gusting winds, pounding surf and rain on Thursday as it took a swipe at the U.S. East Coast on an offshore path toward New England and Canada.

Reuters: Health:- MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - At least 25 suspected drug gang members were killed in an army raid in rural northeastern Mexico on Thursday, the army said in a press release.

Reuters: Health:- NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - An oil and gas platform operated by Mariner Energy burst into flames in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, but the crew of 13 escaped and there were no signs of an oil spill, the Coast Guard said.

WebMD Health:- The long-term use of oral bisphosphonate osteoporosis drugs such as Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax may be associated with a doubling in esophageal cancer risk, but the risk to individual users remains small, researchers say.

WebMD Health:- Men with insomnia have a fourfold higher death rate than those who sleep at least 6 hours a night, a 14-year study finds. It's not yet clear whether women with insomnia also die sooner.

WebMD Health:- An online quiz rates your hygiene practices with a letter grade -- and gives you the information you need to keep your food safe from bacteria.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House stressed on Thursday that no second economic stimulus package is being considered as part of new measures under review by President Barack Obama's team.

Health News from Medical News Today:- A tuberculosis test, called Xpert® MTB/RIF, can successfully identify 98% of all culture-confirmed TB cases, including more than 90% of those with smear-negative disease, a study published in NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) reveals. The test is highly sensitive for tuberculosis as well as drug resistance to the powerful anti-TB drug rifampicin (RIF) in low resource settings, the authors write. The study revealed that the Xpert® MTB/RIF was accurate in more than 97% of patients with drug resistance...

WebMD Health:- Prescription drug use in the U.S. has been rising steadily in the past decade and the trend shows no signs of slowing, the CDC says in a new report.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will roll out more regulations on greenhouse gases and other pollution to help fight climate change, but they will not be as strong as action by Congress, a senior administration official said.

WebMD Health:- New research finds little support for the hypothesis that marijuana is a "gateway" drug leading to the use of harder drugs in adulthood.

WebMD Health:- The journey toward health care reform reached a historic milestone March 22 when the House approved legislation that would extend coverage to 32 million more Americans and impose new restrictions on the insurance industry.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A last-minute change in the fall course schedule of Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren has fueled speculation the White House might soon nominate her to head the newly created U.S. consumer financial agency.

Reuters: Health:- HOUSTON (Reuters) - An oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded on Thursday, setting off a blaze and a small oil spill, but the accident does not appear to be as serious as BP's deadly rig explosion and oil spill in April.

Reuters: Health:- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Burger King Holdings Inc agreed to sell itself to investment firm 3G Capital for $3.26 billion, giving the No. 2 U.S. fast-food chain breathing room to fix its business and close the gap with leader McDonald's Corp.

Reuters: Health:- KABUL (Reuters) - The United States will start preliminary talks with its allies in Afghanistan soon on next year's planned "transition," expected to include withdrawal of some U.S. forces, the top NATO commander in the country said on Thursday.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Organic strawberries were found to have more vitamin C and antioxidants than non-organic ones, and they also had a nicer taste, but are 13.4% smaller and have considerably lower levels of dietary minerals potassium and phosphorous, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal PloS One. As consumers, we are usually willing to pay a bit more for organic produce for reasons of nutrition, health, the environment and/or the quality of life of farm animals...

Reuters: Health:- MOSCOW/SARATOV, Russia (Reuters) - Russia abruptly signaled Thursday it would extend a grain export ban until late 2011 and ordered authorities to prevent speculators driving up food prices after the worst harvest in years.

WebMD Health:- If you’re new to massages, all the types and techniques can be a little overwhelming. WebMD answers common massage questions and explains the different styles.

Reuters: Health:- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday sued an Arizona sheriff for refusing to cooperate with its investigation into allegations the sheriff discriminates against Hispanics in his program to crack down on illegal immigrants.

Health News from Medical News Today:- When your newborn infant is crying with uncomfortable teething or otherwise obviously suffering, feeding sugar to the little one has been a home remedy for years based on not only perceived behavior, but also physiological reactions. However, a new article by Dr. Rebeccah Slater of University College London that appears in the current issue of The Lancet, shows there is no direct connection between pain reduction activity in the spinal cord or brain and the administration of sucrose...

Health News from Medical News Today:- US researchers found that short sleep and insomnia was linked to a four times higher risk of early death in men; they urged public health policy makers to emphasize earlier diagnosis and treament of chronic insomnia. You can read how researchers from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, came to these findings in a paper they wrote that was published on 1 September in the journal SLEEP...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Contrave (naltrexone SR/bupropion SR), an investigational drug aimed at combination therapy to address both biological and behavioral drivers of obesity, will be developed and commercialized by Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The two drug firms have just signed an exclusive partnership for the North American area. The Contrave combination treatment targets the central pathways involved in controlling the balance of both food consumption and metabolism, as well as regulating eating behavior, Orexigen informs...

WebMD Health:- People who take Abbott's weight-loss pill Meridia have a higher risk of non-fatal heart attack and stroke, a study sponsored by the drug's maker finds.

Health News from Medical News Today:- Where's the beef? Rather, where are the Escherichia coli (commonly referred to and spelled as E. coli) in my beef? It has been found that infrared spectroscopy detects E. coli (named for discovery by German pediatrician and bacteriologist Theodor Escherich) far more rapidly than current testing options. Utilizing infrared would speed up the detection process dramatically, and potentially curb outbreaks. In addition, spectroscopy can identify strains of E. coli (such as 0157:H7) in much less time than the current seven days necessary to complete the multi-step identification process...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Cases of human infection of West Nile virus (WNV) have been reported in Greece where 13 people have died and at least 140 have become ill, according to the Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Greek authorities say 32 patients are currently hospitalized. Several other countries in Europe are also affected, especially Central Europe and the Mediterranean area, according to the latest issue of Eurosurveillance. The publication adds that numerous animal cases have also been documented. A "single probable case" was reported in Portugal in July this year...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) today awarded a $153 million contract to Cellerant Therapeutics, Inc. of San Carlos, Calif., to continue developing a new way to treat an illness caused by exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation which can damage the body's cells - the type of radiation that would come from a nuclear blast. Under the contract, the company will continue development of a medication called CLT-008 that uses a special kind of cells called myeloid progenitor cells...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in the City of Ottawa, outside the current Ottawa - Gatineau regulated area. An adult EAB was retrieved from an insect trap south of Fallowfield Road near Richmond Road. Movement restrictions on regulated wood materials will be placed on the affected property. Further regulatory measures will be considered once survey work is completed for the year...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics announces Eric Olson's appointment as President of the IVD Industry Connectivity Consortium (IICC). Founded by the top worldwide in vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers, IICC's mission is to create and ensure adoption of a unified connectivity standard to reduce the complexity and variability of data exchange between IVD testing and healthcare systems...

Health News from Medical News Today:- BIO today announced the preliminary set of speakers who will be featured on the Therapeutic Workshops during the 9th Annual BIO Investor Forum - a national meeting focused on investment trends and opportunities in the life-sciences with a focus on public and venture-stage growth companies. Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the 9th annual event will take place at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, Calif. on October 5-6...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Responding to the new energy bill announced in the Queen's Speech, Mike Hobday, Head of Campaigns at Macmillan Cancer Support said: 'Whilst the mandatory support from energy companies will help some vulnerable people struggling with their fuel bills, it is vital that cancer patients are not left out in the cold. Cancer patients undergoing treatment are twice as likely to fall into fuel poverty as the general population and must be included in any new support schemes...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is working in partnership with the charity No Smoking Day to help thousands of smokers to kick the habit and stop smoking on Wednesday, 9th March 2011. This year's "Time to Quit?" campaign will encourage and support smokers across the UK to start counting down to the 9th March, to quit smoking and start a healthier and wealthier life...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Two studies reveal that smokers may have a significantly lower risk of developing lung cancer and colorectal cancer with the drug metformin, which is commonly prescribed for diabetes type 2 treatment, the medical journal Cancer Prevention Research informs. Metformin, originally sold as Glucophage, is the first-line drug of choice for diabetes type 2 patients, especially those who are obese or overweight, as well as diabetes patients with normal kidney function. Metformin may have the following brand names: Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, or Riomet...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Trinh Company, a San Jose, Calif., establishment, is recalling approximately 2,070 pounds of cooked shredded pork skin products because the products were produced without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels] - 8-ounce clear plastic bags of "TRINH CO. BI TUOI COOKED SHREDDED PORK SKIN, THUONG HANG BI TUOI V.N. HOP VE SINH." - 10-ounce clear plastic bags of "TRINH CO. BI TUOI COOKED SHREDDED PORK SKIN, THUONG HANG BI TUOI V.N...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Neutrogena, the #1 dermatologist-recommended skin care brand, announced today that, with the help of teens across America, the Wave for Change campaign achieved its goal of raising $200,000 for communities in need. The donation will be divided among three causes in the US and globally, as determined by teens on Neutrogena's Facebook Page. Understanding their passion for positive social change, Neutrogena invited teens to show their support for the campaign by purchasing Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit products and the Wave® Sonic Power-Cleanser...

Health News from Medical News Today:- A report by the NHS Confederation's London Relations Programme published outlines the significant challenges faced by the capital's health service. It says tough decisions will need to be taken if London's healthcare is to continue to improve during the financial downturn. The paper Capital challenge: improving healthcare in London highlights particular issues around health inequalities and variation in the quality of services in the capital...

Health News from Medical News Today:- All 12 TLC Laser Eye Centers in Southern California are changing their names to NVISION Laser Eye Centers. The name change accompanies the sale of TLC Vision's interest in the 12 centers to Medical Director Dr. Tom Tooma to become a separate LASIK brand. The new brand will operate as NVISION Laser Eye Centers and will have the same 12 Southern California locations, same surgeons and staff. In fact, the only thing that will change is the name to reflect additional eye care services now available for Southern California residents...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Pawlenty's Order Pure Politicking The Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer The move can be explained in no other way than in being a totally partisan decision, intended to shore up his conservatism in what will be a 2012 battle of who is more conservative to wear the Republican mantle for president (9/1). Dear Patients: Vote To Repeal ObamaCare The Wall Street Journal Because the issue this election is so stark - literally life and death for millions of Americans in the years ahead - we are this week posting a "Dear Patient" letter in our waiting rooms (Dr. Hal Scherz, 9/1)...

Health News from Medical News Today:- During the 60th session of the Africa Committee of the WHO on Monday, Luis Sambo, regional director of the WHO for Africa, proposed the creation of a public health emergency fund to provide financial support to African countries in emergency situations, Agencia AngolaPress reports (8/30). According to a WHO press release, Sambo's proposed $100 million African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) would be "financed from agreed appropriations and voluntary contributions from member states...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The World Bank on Tuesday issued a report (.pdf) calling for a more integrated approach to worldwide water management, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (9/1). "We can't properly tackle global priorities of food security, renewable energy, adaptation to climate change, public health and urbanization unless we manage water better," Julia Bucknall, water sector manager for the World Bank, said, according to a World Bank press release (8/31). The report also reviewed the effectiveness of the World Bank's 2003 water strategy, VOA News reports (DeCapua, 8/31)...

Health News from Medical News Today:- After touring flood-hit areas in Pakistan on Tuesday, the executive directors of UNICEF and the World Food Program (WFP) appealed for more flood relief aid, VOA News reports (Maroney, 8/31). WFP head Josette Sheeran "warned during a joint press conference in the capital, Islamabad, that there is a triple threat unfolding as the crisis widens and deepens," U.N. News Centre writes. "People have lost seeds, crops and their incomes leaving them vulnerable to hunger, homelessness and desperation - the situation is extremely critical...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Court Accepts China's First HIV Discrimination Case, State Media Reports "A municipal court in central China has accepted the country's first lawsuit alleging work discrimination because of HIV status, state media reported Tuesday," the Associated Press reports (8/31). "The lawsuit alleges city officials denied the plaintiff, a recent college graduate, a teaching job after a medical screening revealed he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS," Agence-France-Presse reports (8/31)...

Health News from Medical News Today:- More than 200 agricultural experts from around the world are meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, for the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network's (FANRPAN) regional conference, New Era/allAfrica.com reports (Sasman, 8/31). The meeting will "address African priorities on food security and climate change and its impacts on agricultural development, natural resource management and rural livelihoods," according to a FANRPRAN press release (undated)...

Health News from Medical News Today:- On average, a lower blood pressure goal was no better than the standard blood pressure goal at slowing progression of kidney disease among African-Americans who had chronic kidney disease resulting from high blood pressure, according to results of the African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK), the largest and longest study of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in African-Americans. However, the blood pressure goal did benefit people who also had protein in the urine, which is a sign of kidney damage. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, appears in the Sept...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have been called the defining moment of our time. Thousands of people died and the attacks had huge individual and collective consequences, including two wars. But less is known about the immediate emotional reactions to the attacks. For a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, researchers analyzed text messages sent on September 11, 2001 for emotional words. They found spiking anxiety and steadily increasing anger through that fateful day...

Health News from Medical News Today:- The American Lung Association is offering a free-of-charge, online caregiving coordination service called "My Fighting for Air Community" to support individuals affected by acute and chronic lung diseases. As an organization dedicated to public health, the American Lung Association will offer this online service through Lotsa Helping Hands to support the more than 37 million people in the US who suffer from chronic lung disease every day. This includes more than 24 million adults and children with asthma, 13...

Health News from Medical News Today:- Health News Florida: "The Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that targeted the new federal-health reform law, ruling that state lawmakers included misleading wording that could not be fixed. Justices, in a 5-2 ruling, upheld a circuit judge's decision to strip 'Amendment 9' from the November ballot. ...